How this calculator works
A taco bar is planned per taco rather than per plate, because guests build their own and take two or three. The meat is the weight from each taco multiplied by the tacos for everyone, and the tortillas match the taco count one for one. Toppings are planned per person so there is enough of each without a bowl running out: about 30 g of cheese and 30 mL each of sour cream, guacamole and salsa per person is a generous bar. The meat figure is cooked weight, which matters because ground beef and chicken shrink during cooking, and it is the cooked weight that a taco actually holds.
Formula
meat = people x tacos per person x meat per taco. tortillas = people x tacos per person. cheese = people x cheese per person. each sauce = people x volume per person. The default meat per taco is 60 g, about two thirds of a Canada's Food Guide protein serving, and the default toppings are 30 g or 30 mL per person.
Worked example
For 20 people having 3 tacos each with 60 g of meat, the meat is 20 x 3 x 60 = 3600 g, or 3.6 kg cooked. The tortillas are 20 x 3 = 60. Cheese is 20 x 30 = 600 g, and sour cream, guacamole and salsa are each 20 x 30 = 600 mL. If you start from raw ground beef, allow about 4.8 kg raw for the same 3.6 kg after cooking.
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Frequently asked questions
How much meat is in a taco?
About 60 g of cooked meat fills a small corn or flour tortilla without overflowing it. A generous street taco uses 50 to 70 g. The weight is cooked weight, so plan the raw amount above the figure shown.
How many tacos per person?
Two or three for adults, with three as a generous default when there are also sides. Children often take two. If the taco bar is the whole meal and there are few sides, move towards three or four.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Seasoned black beans, lentils or crumbled tofu work in place of meat. Plan a similar cooked weight per taco, and keep the meat and vegetarian fillings in separate dishes with separate spoons.
How do I keep the bar safe?
Keep the cooked meat above 60 C in a slow cooker or chafing dish, and the cheese, sour cream and guacamole on ice below 4 C. Do not leave food in the danger zone for more than two hours, and provide a fresh serving spoon for each bowl.